Saturday's 86-62 disappointment against Washington left Oregon
State dazed and confused.

Coach Craig Robinson called the defeat "almost
inexplicable." Guard Roberto Nelson and center Angus Brandt spent much of the
postgame press conference staring blankly ahead, unable to fully identify the
root cause of the shellacking. The loss stung, perhaps more than the Beavers'
11 others this season.

A home win over the Huskies, a team that has experienced its
share of struggles, would've evened the Beavers' Pac-12 record -- a notable feat
for a program that hasn't finished .500 in conference play in more than two
decades. With only four regular-season games remaining, achieving that aim
seems daunting.

Two of OSU's remaining opponents -- UCLA are No. 3 Arizona
-- are jousting for the regular-season conference crown. One other is Arizona
State, which with a 19-8 overall record and a résumé-building triumph over the
in-state Wildcats would make a strong case for an NCAA Tournament berth if Selection
Sunday were today.

The Beavers figure to enter each of those contests as clear
underdogs. And that places a heavy burden on Thursday's tilt at USC. After all,
the Trojans are an ideal entrée for a group hungry to move past an embarrassing
stumble. They're at the bottom of the conference standings with a 1-13
conference mark.

On Saturday, Robinson said that players let the "enormity of
the situation" knock them off-kilter against Washington. But the defeat only
raised the stakes. So how will the Beavers handle a USC game that fits the
billing of a "must-win?"

Robinson dismissed the notion of a repeat of Saturday's
disaster. Players would be ready, he explained, because the Trojans nearly
ousted OSU in Corvallis last month. The Beavers, who are 1-6 in Pac-12 road
games this season, shouldn't let nerves or inattention plague another performance.

Following through on Robinson's belief could keep OSU from
finishing yet another season in the conference cellar. Sunday's drubbing put
the Beavers in an unenviable situation, sure, but it hardly squelched their
ambitions. There are still plenty of goals left to pursue.

Pair a win over USC with an upset or two and OSU could be in
line for an NIT invite. And who knows? It's possible the Beavers, the Pac-12's
second-best three-point shooting team, could grow hot beyond the arc and make a
deep run in the conference tournament.

A 24-point defeat to Washington may have stung. The Beavers'
response will add a critical chapter to the season's narrative. That starts Thursday
in Los Angeles.